Victorian Mahogany Cased ‘Cabinet of Materia Medica’

A Victorian Mahogany Cased ‘Cabinet of Materia Medica’ a collection of Medicinal Plants and Substances with numbered lists detailing country of origin latin and common names chemical composition with annotated plant family names added in ink
A trade label to the top tray reading:
‘Cabinet of Materia Medica for the Major Examination Published by Evans, Lescher and Evans, London; and Evans, Sons and Co, Liverpool’
Circa 1860 - 1880

‘Materia Medica’ relates to the body of collected knowledge about the therapeutic properties of any substance used for healing. In the 1st century AD the ancient Greek physician Dioscorides wrote ‘De Materia Medica’, ‘On Medical Material’ the first extensive pharmacopeia which historically became extremely important. It was still in use in 1600 AD and was the precursor to all modern pharmacopeia. The term ‘Materia Medica’ was still in use until the 20th century when it was replaced by ‘pharmacology’. This cabinet was used as a Victorian teaching aid.